90% gig workers earn below Rs 15,000 post-lockdown: Study – Times of India

BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: Gig economy workers in ride-hailing, delivery and cleaning segments have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus-induced lockdown, with 81% of them facing sharp declines in their incomes.
Nine out of 10 gig workers are currently earning less than Rs 15,000 per month, compared to one in 10 before the lockdown, showed a study by Flourish Ventures.
When it came to the steepest decline in incomes by sectors — drivers of taxi aggregators were the hardest hit, reporting up to 90% reduction in incomes, followed by workers of food delivery companies, reporting a 75% decline, and cleaning staff witnessing up to 72% fall.

Another disturbing trend is that women gig economy workers have suffered a bigger decline in incomes than their male counterparts. Almost 74% women workers made less than Rs 10,000 in August compared to 65% men, according to the study that surveyed 800 gig workers. About 42% of respondents said they had received some government aid — food provisions/direct benefit transfers — to tide over their hardship.
Even though 84% of workers expressed fear over Covid-19, they were more concerned about the lockdown impact on livelihoods than on their health in case they had to step out for work. About 61% of workers were worried over their continued ability to work, while about 17% said their primary concern was to meet their basic needs.